For You, I Will
by RivalBlue89
Summary: He walked away that day. Why should she care what happens to him now?
1. I'm to go Where?

A/N: This was supposed to be an Epilogue to "Chance Meetings"...obviously that didn't happen. Hope you enjoy either way!

The sun was just beginning to set when I arrived to that spot. I shook my head as I sat down in front of the metal barricade. This is what I get for walking off with no real direction, I always ended up here. Propping my head on my arms I sighed and allowed my thoughts to continue to wander. Today had been a rough day, and I really just needed a minute to myself.

Today had begun like any other day. I got up with the sun and started my chores about the shrine. I'd taken over for my grandfather a few years ago. He was getting too weak to keep up with daily maintenance, and I needed something to keep my hands busy. The later half of the day was spent running all over Tokyo with my team. I'm not sure how many miles we trans versed over the course of the afternoon. Not for the first time was I glad Sango insisted I take Kirara with me when I returned to the present for the final time. She'd been worried that I would be lonely so the neko followed me through time.

With all the running we did this afternoon I'm wiped, but I didn't want to sit at home by myself tonight. I also didn't want to join my rowdy teammates at the local pub, so instead I locked up the shrine and let my feet pull me where they pleased.

"Kagome." Broke me from my thoughts.

I turned my head around to see my busty best friend on the road behind the barricade. I was confused to see her, she was supposed to be with the others at the pub.

"Mats?" I say cocking my head to the side. She doesn't seem herself.

"I...I'm sorry to bother you, but there's something I need to talk to you about," she says.

"It's no big deal, but what's up? You're usually not sober this time of night, especially with the day we had today," I say while getting up and hopping over the barrier to stand in front of her.

She takes a breath and starts to speak. "Rukia just got back from Soul Society, and she brought some troubling news back with her. I really debated about coming to you, but she is very concerned."

"Well I'm glad you did, if Rukia is worried it must be something big. It generally takes a lot to ruffle her feathers. You're beating around the bush though Mats. What is it that you are reluctant to tell me?" I ask more confused than anything. We'd been friends for years now, and it was unusual for her to keep anything from me.

"It's not the what, but the who?" She says obviously still unsure what to say to me.

I'm confused of course. I couldn't think of someone that she would be reluctant to tell me about, especially one that was related to Rukia in some way. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Rukia just got back from Soul Society, and there was only one person in Soul Society Mats would be reluctant to talk to me about.

I look at her and she knows I've connected the dots. I shake my head and start to step back.

"No. I'm sorry Mats but I don't to hear about it. It's been three years I don't want to hear anything that has to do with him. I'm sorry but whatever it is keep it to yourself." I say with a slightly pitched voice and turn away from her.

"You know I wouldn't come to you unless it was something major Kagome," she says.

I stop walking as she says this. I nod and turn back to her. She wouldn't bring his name up unless it was important.

"Tell me everything."

I quickly splashed cold water on my face as I tried to gather my wits about me again. I didn't have the luxury of time to fall a part right now. I think it is beyond evident that I have the shittiest luck ever. Why, three years later, was everything falling a part again? Things have finally just righted themselves from the last upheaval.

Shaking my head I turn away from the bathroom and head into my bedroom. Without much thought I go through the motions of donning my miko attire. Lastly I pull my bow and two swords off of their stand. Both vibrate happily in my hand. No matter that we just saw battle earlier today they are both ready for action. I blame that on the demon that commissioned for them to be crafted for me. They were after all a gift from Sesshomaru for completing my training under him prior to our final battle with Naraku.

As I slip my weapons into their normal place at my hip and across my back I look toward my bed and nod to Kirara. No rest for the wicked today it would seem. I open the window and jump out as Kirara transforms under me, and we are off to Urahara's. He has prepared the gate to Soul Society. I haven't been to that dreaded place in over three years, how I looked forward to going back.

Some odd hours later found my chosen team and I hiding out in the Fourth Division barracks. Unohana-taichou was the one that originally spoke with Rukia, and she is one of the few Shinigami that resides here that I trust. She asked that I bring a few trusted people to be here for the rather large ceremony that was happening tomorrow.

The others have settled in and are trying to get some shut eye before we are called to action in the morning. I don't see myself getting any sleep tonight. My thoughts and emotions were wreaking to much havoc for me to even contemplate sleep. Huffing for the the hundredth time since everyone settled in I gave up sitting here and made my way outside. I really needed some fresh air. After being in the past for so long I couldn't stand being cooped up indoors, especially if my nerves were going haywire.

Once outside I find the biggest tree I can and jump up into the branches. I sit there for a very long time allowing nature to calm my haywire emotions. Kirara has followed me and petting her allows me to relax a margin.

I have two warring thoughts right now. The louder one is pushing for me to leave and not look back, because that is what he did. Why after all this time should I involve myself with his problems? He made his choice that day, and he made it quite clear I wasn't to interfere. And yet here I am digging up these horrible emotions and memories that I have barely just put to rest. There's really only so many times a girl can have her heart shattered and put back together in one life time.

The less emotional side of me knows that no matter how angry, or hurt I am I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to him. More so if there was something I could have done to prevent it.

So here I sit once again in Soul Society coming to bat for the man that managed to put my shattered heart back together after Inuyasha, and was also the same one to break it beyond recognition after he left.


	2. 3 and Some Years Ago

A/N: Looks like some shit went down a few years ago. Let's find out what exactly!

ooOOoo

~3 and Some Years Prior~

Today had started off well enough. We'd had to take care of a minor Hollow sighting, but other than that it had been uneventful. After the craziness of the past years we've all had trouble settling into mundane life again.

I decided recently to take over shrine duties from my grandfather as he is aging and it is getting to be too much for him. I am a miko after all, it was my duty to keep up my shrine. I enjoy the normalness of it all. After nearly four years fighting demons in the past and another year taking down a mad Shinigami it is nice to only worry about sweeping the shrine steps.

Right, I should probably back up a bit. About a year ago we finally wiped that smirk of off Naraku's face permanently. It had taken a combined power of my group and Sesshomaru, but we finally did it. Mostly due to the fact that Sesshomaru took the months leading up to the final battle to train me in the ways of the sword. With his help I was able to unlock my true potential and very few walk away from battle with me.

As soon as the dust cleared our group was left with some decisions to make. I was torn between staying in the past or returning to my time to finish school. Inuyasha ended up making the decision easy for me. He looked at each of us in the moments after Naraku's death, and his golden eyes falling on me last. I instantly felt dread, but wasn't sure why at the time. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, they always spoke more than he could articulate. He walked forward to me and handed me a sheathed Tetsusaiga. He nodded and abruptly turned away running into the forest.

I'm unsure how long we stood there for after his abrupt exit. We knew of course where he had run off too. He'd made a promise and even after all this time was going to keep it. I felt empty and numb standing on the battlefield after victory over our greatest foe. We should have been celebrating, but that blasted half demon had to ruin it. We returned to Lady Kaede's soon after that. We brought news of our victory, but there was no warmth in our words. When she noticed our missing companion she knew as well.

I got no sleep that night. Instead I clutched the fang like it was my last lifeline to this world. As I watched the sun breech the horizon I knew that in fact it was my last tie here. Of course I loved my friends and my adopted son, but what purpose did I have here anymore? I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without seeing him, and how healthy could that be for anyone. So I packed up my yellow bag and said goodbye. It was tearful and horrible, but I was still numb. Sango sent Kirara with me as a companion and a reminder I would always have them.

Fast forward a few months and I had just started settling into normal life again. I transferred high schools in hopes of improving my grades. Things were going smoothly until I had a run in with a gigantic masked monster. I'd been in no position to fight with my weapons sitting at home. This was the present, nothing of this sort was supposed to be here! Sesshomaru would have been very displeased with me if he knew I'd gotten lax since returning to my time. I got lucky that day as big and creepy was cleaved in two before it did anything other than notice me.

While I'd been gaping like a fish some kid with white hair had appeared out a no where and sliced the thing in half. I continued gaping as he sheathed his sword and started conversing with a very busty woman wearing a similar outfit to his. They went on talking about me as if I wasn't even there. Something about how slaying regular Hollow was well below his rank, and how irritated he was getting rescuing helpless humans all day. Naturally I lost my temper as I usually did when someone was being rude to me. With my outburst they turned to me gaping a bit.

I found out rather quickly why they had been ignoring me in the first place, and well things progressed from there. I got to know these strange people and they slowly replaced the constant numbness inside of me with warmth. I started laughing again, and something that had been missing since Inuyasha walked away came back to me. It took a night of talking with Matsumoto over a bottle of sake to realize what it was. In the few months I spent with Hitsugaya's team I'd managed to fall head over heels for the small Shinigami. While I enjoyed the whole team I'd gravitated to the quiet Captain. He had a quiet serenity about him that reminded me of Sesshomaru.

After my revelation we danced around each other while his team remained in the living world. We both knew a friendship between a human and a Shinigami was frowned upon. If we were to become something more than friends his position could be on the line. For this reason our relationship never escalated beyond friendship. And then Aizen attacked Karakura Town. I participated in a battle that was more difficult than the one with Naraku. There we so many more people involved, and a good portion of them I had grown to care about.

I through myself into the thick of battle right along side the Shinigami. Quite a few were confused with my presence, but in the heat of battle they didn't have time to question why. During most of the it I fought back to back with Matsumoto. To be honest I don't remember most of it. My memories are just a blur of sound and pain, but our side came out on top. In the aftermath I became and unofficial member of the fourth division. During my time in the past I learned how to use my powers to heal. With so many injured Unohana-taichou was happy to have my help. In that time I came to respect the soft spoken captain, and she helped me expand my healing knowledge.

When things calmed down enough the injured were returned to Soul Society, and Karakura Town was much less crowded with Shinigami. The head captain appointed Hitsugaya's previous team in charge of Karakura for the time being. There was a high amount of residual spiritual energy left after the battle. It was expected to be a hot spot for Hollow activity for the coming months. It was during these months that my relationship with Toshiro moved beyond friendship. During the war all of us learned that any of us could be gone tomorrow in our line of work. His first instinct had been to push me away, but I was able to push back.

It took time, but eventually our friendship progressed into relationship territory. I don't think either of us expected it to come as naturally as it did. One day we we're friends and the next we were cuddling each night watching the sun set. Unfortunately we weren't as discreet as we thought. It didn't take long for the head captain to catch wind and call us in for a meeting. Up until this point he'd ignored my presence among his shinigami during the war cleanup, but now not so much. To be frank the head captain was dead set against our relationship, and threatened to relieve Toshiro of his position and then some. It was only because Unohana-taichou stepped in that it didn't happen. She wanted to bring me under her wing and see how far she could progress my healing abilities. The head captain was still furious, but after deeming that I would be of use to him allowed us to remain together. Toshiro and I weren't stupid though, we knew it wouldn't take much for the head captain to change his mind.

For nearly a year after the meeting I traveled between the world of the living and the dead. I learned from Unohana-taichou, and Toshiro and I continued to strengthen our relationship. I was happy in every sense of the word. My heart, that Inuyasha had shattered so perfectly, was finally whole again. Then Toshiro did the unthinkable. He got down on one knee one evening while we were watching the sunset. It was no surprise to anyone that I said yes. The wedding plans never got very far though.

After news of our engagement got around Matsumoto planned an engagement party for us, and our closest friends. It was held at the shrine. While the night was winding down a gate opened up in the middle of the property. The head captain a number of his higher ranking officials stepped through. There was surprise from everyone gathered for the celebration. The head captain very rarely left Soul Society, and he didn't look like he wanted to join in the festivities.

I should have known that things were too good to be true. I should have known that this feeling of happiness would come crashing down on me, and cash it did. That night Toshiro left with Yamamoto through the gate without looking back. Yamamoto decided to put his foot down on everything that he deemed breaking their laws. He called everyone that was present at our party back to Soul Society. If they failed to return with him they would be relieved of their positions, and if they chose to step foot in Soul Society again they would be relieved of their life as well.

I don't think it was possible to calculate the amount of shock that everyone felt that night. I didn't pay much attention to anyone but Toshiro. I knew what his decision would be, but it didn't stop me from wishing it would be the opposite. He at least had the decency to tell me he was destroying my heart, unlike Inuyasha. I couldn't formulate any words that night, but I'm sure my ring slamming into his forehead got my point across just fine. After that he turned and never looked back. He walked through the gate with Yamamoto.

ooOOoo

I smirked in the darkness. That night I didn't have the ability to laugh, but now it always brought a smile to my face. That night in his haste to split Toshiro and I up he lost a number of his shinigami. The entirety of Toshiro's once team stayed behind in the world of the living with me. We've taken over doing Hollow patrols for Tokyo and Karakura Town. Yamamoto refused to send anyone to watch over our area anymore.

My thoughts were cut short when I felt the presence of Unohana-taichou heading in my direction. Strange, she should be in at this late hour.

"Kagome dear are you out here?" She calls.

"Yes, one minute," I say hopping down from my tree.

"Ah there you are. I figured you wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight, and thought I would see if you could run and errand for me to pass the time." She asks in her ever pleasant tone.

I'm a bit surprised, but nod in response. "If you think it's safe for me to leave the fourth then of course."

"I know you have a few sneaky tricks up your sleeve. Just make sure you're back by dawn. The address is on this package," she says while handing me a decent sized package. Once in my hand she nods to me and turns around to leave.

"Sure no problem..." I start to say until I see the name on the package.

"It's too late to object my dear, you've already agreed. I believe it will be good for you two to see each other before today's festivities." She responds not even slowing her stride.

I really can't do much but stare opened mouth as she walks back inside. I still don't know how she does it. She has a way of manipulating everyone without them even knowing it. Not for the first time do I think her and Sesshomaru would get along just fine. They are two of the scariest beings that I know.

Looking down at the package I huff and head out. To the Tenth it is then. Goody.

ooOOoo

A/N: Chapter two done! Hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think!


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